Sue March sent us her favorite one - for sure, it's appropriate for the River Recipe Collection.
Sue sent the following note with her recipe:
“I started going to Papoose Island at the age of four when my grandparents lived there, and continued until I was 59. We spent as much time as we could there, until we had to move on. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to spend so much time on the River, enjoying life, fishing, swimming, letting the dogs have fun, boating, birding, walking on Grindstone Island, visiting with friends, and even doing the unending projects needed to keep Papoose up.”
“My big joy was, and still is, exploring the marshes in my kayak and finding and photographing interesting animals and birds. I started fishing when I was very young and was thrilled to receive my own fishing rod at the age of eight.”
“I caught many fish over the years including perch, rockies, sunfish, pike, smallmouth bass, gobies (unfortunately), and more. What fun to have friends up and have a big fish dinner!!”
Sue's Fish Fry
Catch a batch of perch, nice size rock bass, and sunfish. Filet them. (Luckily, I had a friend who was very skilled at these two parts!)
Use a cast iron skillet and heat some oil to pan fry – not deep fry – the fish.
Dip filets in a mixture of egg/milk, then into bread crumbs – plain or Italian, if you want different flavor.
Gently place into HOT oil in pan.
These fish will cook very quickly, so watch them closely; flip once and then lift them onto a paper towel to drain off any extra oil.
You could add a little salt if you wish and it's the perfect fish fry.
Serve with sweet corn and a salad.
By Sue March
Sue March lives in Marcellus, NY. She spent many years on Papoose Island. Today she is retired but she makes a point of visiting the River every year, usually camping and kayaking in the area. As she says, "There's nothing like it!" Sue March wrote "Sailing Through The 1000 Islands," for TI Life in June 2014.
Editor’s Note: Although Sue doesn’t specify amounts, of course it will depend on how much fish you have. We suggest a ratio of 1 egg to 2 Tablespoons of milk, beaten together, and what looks like enough crumbs to thoroughly coat your filets. We also recommend a neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed.
Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2024, Recipes
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